Del Norte’s jobless rate down to 5.8%

Del Norte County unemployment fell slightly last month from the revised February rate of 6.3 percent, according to numbers released by the state Employment Development Department last week.

Del Norte’s preliminary unemployment rate for March is 5.8 percent, according to the department.

The year-over rate is down 1.6 percentage points from the March 2017 rate of 7.4 percent. However despite the rate fall, Del Norte ranked 34th among California’s 58 counties in unemployment.

Among its neighboring counties, Trinity and Siskiyou had greater March unemployment rates at 7.1 and 8.5 percent respectively, according to the Employment Development Department. Shasta County had a March unemployment rate of 5.7 percent and Humboldt County had a jobless rate of 3.7 percent.

Out of California’s 58 counties, San Mateo had the lowest March unemployment rate at 2.2 percent, while Colusa’s unemployment was the highest at 18.9 percent, according to the Employment Development Department.

Statewide, California’s March unemployment rate was 4.2 percent, according to the department. The national unemployment rate for March was 4.1 percent.

In Del Norte County industry employment grew by 50 jobs from February to March, according to the Employment Development Department. For the year over, industry employment in Del Norte County grew by 230 jobs with six industry sectors gaining, three remaining unchanged and two contracting.

The industry sectors that experienced employment growth over the year include leisure and hospitality; education and health services; government; mining, logging and construction; manufacturing; and farm.

The industry sectors with no employment change over the year include information; professional and business services; and other services.

Industry sectors with employment contraction over the year include financial activities and trade, transportation and utilities, according to the Employment Development Department.

The employers with the most help-wanted ads include Sutter Health, Del Norte County Unified School District, Sutter Coast Hospital, the state of California, the U.S. Forest Service, the County of Del Norte, California Prison Health Care Service, National Park Service and Pizza Hut.